VOICES BEYOND THE CANON Orality, Multilingualism, and Postcolonial Form in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things and Amos Tutuola's The Palm-Wine Drinkard

A Cambridge Tripos & University English Literature Companion

This comprehensive book delivers an in-depth critical exploration of Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things and Amos Tutuola’s The Palm-Wine Drinkard, focusing on how non-Western writers subvert canonical English prose through oral storytelling, linguistic hybridity, and innovative narrative structures.

Key Features & What’s Inside:

• Rigorous Close Reading: Detailed textual analysis of key passages examining syntax, repetition, capitalizations, and Malayalam/Yoruba linguistic rhythms in Roy and Tutuola.
• Postcolonial Theoretical Frameworks: Seamlessly integrates key concepts from Homi Bhabha (hybridity and mimicry), Edward Said, Frantz Fanon, and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (Decolonising the Mind).
• Comparative Essay Blueprint: Step-by-step structural breakdown comparing Tutuola’s episodic Yoruba folk tradition with Roy’s non-linear, trauma-driven chronology.
• Cambridge-Style Exam Preparation: Includes first-class model essay outlines, thesis statement breakdowns, and supervision prompt strategies tailored for Cambridge English Tripos Part II and high-level university courses.

Target Texts Covered:

• Arundhati Roy: The God of Small Things (Linguistic subversion, "Love Laws," political memory, and childlike focalization).
• Amos Tutuola: The Palm-Wine Drinkard (West African oral tradition, Yoruba folklore, mythic picaresque structure, and Nigerian English syntax).

Who Is This Guide For?

Designed specifically for university students taking Cambridge University English Tripos (Part II / Year 3), BA English Literature, and Master's modules in Postcolonial & Global Literatures looking to elevate their supervision essays and final exam scores.